The retooled Ontario Tech men's basketball team is set to open their season at home on Friday, Nov. 5 against the Laurentian Voyageurs. Their expectation is to take the next leap in their progression as a program after adding six new faces to the roster.
 
"It's been a really good summer for development. Everyone got better in some way," said Anthony Pate, a former Carleton recruit who joined the Ridgebacks roster during the canceled 2020-21 season.
 
Joining Pate as new faces on the Ridgebacks are former Durham Lord Roy Anku, Sheridan transfer Khaleek Bakare-Whyte, Tesloch Luk, former Wesleyan Bobcat Cameron Ramage, and Mugina Karugire, but Pate will be seeing his first regular season playing time in over four years on opening night after recovering from a torn meniscus in 2016.
 
"I've just been in the gym staying ready to compete," said Pate. "I'm ready to go. I know these guys are ready to go too, but those first few games, you'll see a mad man jumping out of the gates and I think we'll surprise some people."
 
The Ridgebacks leading scorer and OUA all-rookie team member Graddy Kanku is returning to the team after being drafted by the Ottawa BlackJacks in the Canadian Elite Basketball League U SPORTS draft. His time with the team was cut short due to injuries but he hopes to bring a new perspective and professionalism back to the Ridgebacks.
 
"It was a great experience, for however long it was. I just want to take what I learned from there and apply here," said Kanku.
 
With Ammar Hassan, Levi Ogbanna, Rahsean Neil-Simpson, Chris Ogie, D'on Duncan and AJ Cummings all back in the fold, the Ridgebacks have already picked up two preseason wins over McMaster and Concordia and have set their sights on finding ways to win in the toughest basketball division in all of Canada, the OUA east.
 
"I think we're pretty transparent about where we are and where we've been," said Pate. "But as of now, we want to say we won as many as we lost this year…but the goal is the playoffs and hopefully more."